2012 NFL Free Agents: Analyzing the Cap Space for Every NFC East Team

One thing on the mind of every fan is whether or not their team will be aggressive in the 2012 NFL free-agency market. It would help if we had an idea of how much money each team has at their disposal.

Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel has projections for how much cap space each team will have in 2012. We also just learned from Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the remaining cap space from 2011 can be carried over to 2012.

This is my best rendition of an investigative report, taking two separate pieces of information to put out one big-picture analysis. Let's take a look.

*AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please be advised that these numbers are not 100-percent accurate, and the comments herein represent only a reflection of the information that could be gleaned from the two separate reports from separate, unrelated outlets.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins hold the key in the free-agency market this year and have to be considered a top contender for any of the big-name free agents they might have their eyes on. They got an $11.9-million boost from leftovers in 2011 and have a lot of money (Albert Haynesworth) coming off the books in 2012.

Owner Dan Snyder has never been reluctant to put the pen to the paycheck if the name is right, and while it was believed that quarterback Peyton Manning could be in the team's cross hairs, he may not be available after all.

Although the Redskins have already used the franchise tag on tight end Fred Davis, there are still a few key free agents to tend to.

Safety LaRon Landry has questions about his health after playing through an Achilles injury in 2011. Linebacker London Fletcher is 36 years old but remains a key component of the Redskins defense.

Philadelphia Eagles

Despite a glut of moves in the 2011 free-agent scramble, the Eagles have some cap space to work with. They likely won't be big-time players, but they could make a signing or two.

Their two key free agents are both wide receivers—DeSean Jackson and Steve Smith. While Jackson will likely get the franchise tag, Smith only caught 11 passes in nine games.

Every move the Eagles make in 2012 will be an attempt to get one step closer to a championship. To me, that means Smith is out and Jackson is in.

Dallas Cowboys

By remaining comfortably under the cap in 2011 ($18.2 million in leftover cap space), the Cowboys spare themselves a big headache of restructuring deals, as they were set to be over the cap in 2012 by around $5 million.

The Cowboys have a few key free agents to tend to, including wide receiver Laurent Robinson, tight end Martellus Bennett and linebacker Anthony Spencer. If the team can get all three to sign for what they're worth, they should be able to do so with enough money to spare to make a small move or two.

Owner Jerry Jones has never shown reluctance to open the checkbook for a player he likes, and with the success the Cowboys offense has enjoyed recently, it would seem logical to bring back Robinson and Bennett.

Spencer has been up and down since joining the Cowboys, and the team may look to replace him through the draft.

New York Giants

General manager Jerry Reese took a lot of criticism for a lack of big-time roster moves in 2011, but was hindered by a lack of cap space.

That looks to be the case again, as the Giants currently have less than $1 million to work with. Luckily, they finished the 2011 season with $1.7 million in space, or else they'd have to trim some fat off the roster.

Giants fans should get ready to say goodbye to wide receiver Mario Manningham, who is likely to yield a little more than he's actually worth after his amazing reception that will live forever in Super Bowl lore. 

Repeating as Super Bowl champions is never easy, from the difficult schedule to the bull's-eye on their back to the inevitable roster turnover. This year looks to be no different.

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